"Mrs Wallace indicated these were her favourites and couldn't bear to part with them."

The prosecutor said the live snakes were in various states and some were infested with mites and living in their own waste.

He said Wallace's border collie Alfie was also in a bad state.

Mr Browne said one vet said of one vivarium: "There was a foul smell when I lifted the lid which was quite overwhelming."

David Ward, defending, said his client started off with one snake and came to love the reptiles when she noticed how it would only go to sleep after she had gone to bed.

Mr Ward said she began to take in more and more until she had developed a "snake hostel".

He said: "This is an elderly lady who, for a time, had too many snakes."

He said the snakes were mostly very small and only posed a danger to a "passing worm or frog".

Mr Ward said his client only had 14 snakes now and these were well looked after.

Magistrates gave Wallace, of Osbaldwick Lane, York, 21 days to re-home these remaining reptiles.

Turning to the costs incurred by the RSPCA, Mr Ward said: "It's absolutely outrageous this firm can charge £7,000 to £16,000 a month to look after a few snakes that she (Wallace) was looking after on a pension."

Ipsoregulated

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here